1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers of the type used to hold non-rigid, pourable materials and, more particularly, to a container that can be reconfigured to facilitate the discharge of the materials therefrom.
2. Background Art
A myriad of different non-rigid, pourable substances are sold in containers for dispensing by an end user. Exemplary of such substances are toothpaste, consumable substances such as ketchup, honey, beverages, and the like, adhesives, lubricants, etc. A typical container for these substances will have a generally cylindrical body with a discharge opening over which a removable cap is placed.
Some such substances are held in containers having a substantially fixed configuration. For example, beverages are commonly sold in glass or metal containers. These containers must be inverted to allow gravitational flow of the substance through the discharge opening. While this type of container is suitable for most consumable beverages, there are problems associated with these containers when they are used to dispense more viscous substances.
For example, ketchup is offered by various manufacturers in both glass bottles and plastic "squeeze bottles". Most people have experienced problems in discharging ketchup from a glass bottle. Patrons in restaurants can frequently be seen pounding on the bottom of the inverted bottle or hitting the neck thereof to initiate discharge and ultimately choosing the unsanitary route and placing an eating utensil through the discharge opening to start the flow of the ketchup.
Aside from this problem is the problem of exhausting substantially the entirety of the substance from the glass container. When the user stores the glass containers with ketchup or salad dressing therein, the remaining amounts settle to the bottom of the container. Discharge involves inverting the bottle to cause the remaining substance to flow, often slowly, by gravity up to and out of the discharge opening. This is aggravated by the fact that the substance over long periods of time may lose moisture and solidify at the bottom of the container. This problem is often addressed by putting the cap over the container and storing the container on a flat surface, such as a countertop, in an inverted position until all of the substance migrates to the vicinity of the discharge opening. Alternatively, the consumer will avoid this inconvenience and discard the container with a significant amount of the usable substance still therein. While this may increase sales to a manufacturer, it is inefficient and often frustrating to a consumer.
Squeeze bottles obviate the above problems to a certain extent. A typical squeeze bottle will be made from a plastic material that is shape-retentive but deformable under a predetermined pressure to reduce the storage volume, increase the internal pressure, and cause an expulsion of the substance under pressure through the discharge opening. This type of container typically has a bottom wall with a large enough footprint to stably support the container in an upright, storage position. The bottom wall of the container is, by reason of its configuration, relatively rigid. The most conveniently squeezable portion of the container is the mid-portion thereof. In a full container, pressure at the mid-portion results in flow division, with the material above the mid-portion being forced toward the discharge opening and the substance below the mid-portion being urged toward the bottom of the container. As the substance is exhausted and the substance level is below the mid-portion, the user is required to reposition the substance above the mid-portion before squeezing. This may be accomplished by inverting the container for some time or by sharply thrusting the container so that the momentum of the substance causes it to reposition toward the upper region of the container. This is obviously inconvenient and often requires strength not possessed by a consumer. Thus, the squeezable container is likewise difficult to fully empty, potentially leading to significant amounts of waste.
A further problem with a squeezable container is that the material may not have the resilience to re-assume an undeformed state after it is squeezed. This may be aggravated over time as the material loses its initial resilience. Further, the user may have a tendency to exert an excessive squeezing pressure on the container, particularly when the quantity of the substance is relatively small. In a worst case, this could lead to a rupture of the container, most commonly at a molding seam.
It is also known to use non-shape-retentive containers to dispense substances. For example, toothpaste is commonly placed in a tube that can be rolled from the bottom end to force the paste up toward the discharge opening where it can be easily squeezed out. While this is an effective way of facilitating substance discharge, ofttimes this makes product identity difficult. An important feature of most every container is the ability to present to the supplier and/or manufacturer an opportunity to place their identity on the product which remains through its useful life. Used toothpaste tubes commonly become a wrinkled, unappealing mass. At some point, the advertising material on the container becomes completely obliterated. Product identification for purposes of reordering may be made difficult or impossible.
While the obscuring of the product or supplier/manufacturer identity may be nothing more than a marketing problem in the aftermarket, sometimes these containers include directions or warnings that are important for safe use thereof. The user may be deprived of this information, which could result in an improper and, in a worst case, dangerous use of a product.
Generally, both of the squeezable and deformable containers, described above, may be difficult or inconvenient to use for someone with limited strength or a handicap, such as arthritis.
Another problem with squeezable containers is that often the quality of the substance discharge is compromised. For example, a substance such as ketchup may separate, with the solid particles in the solution migrating downwardly, leaving primarily liquid at the top. By squeezing the mid-portion, initially the liquid will be discharged. While this problem could be alleviated by shaking and pre-mixing the substance in the container, this may not be a common practice for the consumer.
Still other substances may be made of multiple components which tend to naturally separate under gravitational force. By squeezing the container at the mid-portion, lighter components are pressed upwardly for discharge while heavier components may be squeezed even further to the bottom of the container.